Whenever I recommend a product, I always like to start with what I use.
But I also like to give people a range of prices too. But with ANYTHING I recommend from Amazon, I always use the following criteria:
- It has to be a minimum of 4 stars
- The product has to have some reviews (or be something I own)
- No more than 8% of all the reviews are bad ones
I find that only recommending products that meet the test of that means that you get great products every time. Whenever possible, I also like to recommend Prime products or at least products with free shipping.
Let’s dive in!
Riida TM08 Wireless Meat Thermometer
Check out all these features and see if it’s not the PERFECT solution for your grill, smoker, or BBQ:
- Features 2 probes to check temps of either 2 different meats (or one meat and the grill temp)
- Set an alert when it reaches the perfect temp or gets too high
- For meats you can set it to alert you when it reaches your perfect doneness (rare, medium, etc)
- Probes are made of food-grade stainless steel and are attached with heat-resistant steel mesh cables
- Comes with a wireless receiver you can keep on you that receivers temps and alerts up to 300 feet away!
CLICK HERE to check current prices on Amazon Prime, but it’s typically well under $40.
Qualitech3 Compartment Grill Basket
It comes with a removable handle, gloves, and a wooden locking handle to keep the food inside the basket as you rotate. Almost 5 stars and free shipping, and a price that won’t break the bank.
CLICK HERE to check current prices on Amazon Prime.
Best All-Purpose Grill
Char-Griller Texas Trio Gas/Charcoal Combo Grill with Smoker Firebox
This is literally the grill that is in my yard. I’ve had mine for well over 2 years at this point and bought it used on Craigslist (without the firebox which I added later).
It’s held up great, just make sure and get the cover for it too to keep it from rusting.
Almost 1500 square inches of cooking space! Use the propane side, the charcoal side or both! Plus it has a side burner too that runs off the propane. The attached smoker firebox is perfect for smoking briskets and other meats or veggies.
Just a tad under $400, hundreds of reviews and almost all 5-star, but as I said, I’ve had mine for almost 3 years and love it; no issues! Free shipping or pickup too. Get the best of both worlds in a grill at a price that won’t break the bank.
CLICK HERE to check current prices on Home Dept.com (free delivery or pickup)
Best Budget Pellet Grill
Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill
Large pellet hopper and easy cleanout system. Auto-start ignition makes lighting easy every time. Temp readout shows grill temps and internal food temps. Dispenses more pellets automatically whenever needed.
Right at the top end of our $500 price range with free shipping and outstanding reviews.
CLICK HERE to check current prices on Amazon
Best Portable Grill
Char-Griller Akorn Jr. red or black Kamado Grill
An Amazon’s Choice product with near-perfect reviews (well over 400 of them). 153 square inch cooking area, easy dump pan, dual airflow dampeners, ceramic grills for more cooking with less charcoal.
Perfect for RVs, camping, tailgating or picnics. Free shipping on Amazon too!
CLICK HERE to check current prices on Amazon
Best Deluxe Grill
Traeger Ironwood 650 Pellet Grill and Smoker
Just over $1,000 with free shipping, this is actually a mid-line for Traeger, but for the money and features, this is really a great grill. It’s also the one I bought in addition to my Texas Trip listed above. So it’s not a random recommendation; I love it!
Excellent reviews, and the ability to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise and BBQ all in one unit!
Traeger created the pellet smoker and they still rule the market. Dial-in temps accurately within +/- 20 degrees with the push of a button or on your mobile app. Genuine wood just tastes better than charcoal and gas just doesn’t provide much flavor.
Get it with the cover for long life! One other thing to know if Traeger insists on all of their retailers selling at the same price. So no need to waste time surfing around for a deal. Trager’s own website will always have the best price!
CLICK HERE to check current prices on Traeger’s website
Best Budget Smoker
Weber 711001 Smokey Mountain Smoker
No question a bullet smoker is what you want. Weber makes the one you want, although the Brinkmann I had, which was very similar (not sure you can still get those) was good too. I like Weber overall for a few reasons:
- The fuel door is removable (rather than hinged) making it easier to add charcoal and wood
- I think it resists rust better
- 2 adjustable vents allow for better temp control
I smoked many a brisket in mine before I upgraded and they came out great! It’s an Amazon’s Choice item with over 2000 awesome reviews and free Prime shipping. Easy to move in and out of a garage, or take with you camping or tailgating.
CLICK HERE to check current prices on Amazon Prime
Best Budget Pellet Smoker
Z GRILLS Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
This little guy is amazing for being well under $400. It also comes not only with free shipping, but a cover too.
Sturdy legs and wheels and only 84 pounds make this fairly portable. Enough room for 3 whole chickens at over 320 square feet of cooking/smoking space. Since it’s both a grill and a smoker you get the best of both worlds. Cooking Temperature range is 160°F to 450°F.
Did I mention the Lifetime Guarantee? Outstanding reviews too.
CLICK HERE to check current prices on the Z Grills website (always the best price)
Best Budget Verticle Smoker
Camp Chef XXL Vertical Pellet Grill and Smoker
A verticle smoker is simply a cabinet-style smoker with racks that sit above one another giving you lots of room for smoking a wide variety of meats and veggies at the same time.
It features 4 meat racks, 3 jerky racks, plus a sausage rack with 12 hooks. Great for smoking items that don’t fit well in a pellet grill.
Digital temp control & Smart Smoke technology means you don’t have to babysit your smoker to get perfect results every time. Dual meat temperate probes and a temperature range from 150° F to 350° F.
Free shipping and well under $600. While it currently only has a small number of reviews, they are 100% 5-star and all from verified purchasers.
CLICK HERE to check current prices on Amazon
Best Deluxe Smoker
Traeger Ironwood 650 Pellet Grill and Smoker
Just over $1,000 with free shipping, this is actually a mid-line for Traeger, but for the money and features, this is really a great grill. It’s also the one I bought in addition to my Texas Trip listed above. So it’s not a random recommendation; I love it!
Excellent reviews, and the ability to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise and BBQ all in one unit!
Traeger created the pellet smoker and they still rule the market. Dial-in temps accurately within +/- 20 degrees with the push of a button or on your mobile app. Genuine wood just tastes better than charcoal and gas just doesn’t provide much flavor.
Get it with the cover for long life! One other thing to know if Traeger insists on all of their retailers selling at the same price. So no need to waste time surfing around for a deal. Trager’s own website will always have the best price!
CLICK HERE to check current prices on Traeger’s website